4/24/2015

Fire Hydrant Operation,

Maintenance & Testing
Todd Schaefer
Operations Manager
April 28, 201 5
8th Annual Distribution Conference – Addison, IL

Acknowledgments
 Michael Simpson – CEO
 John Van Arsdel – Vice President
 Aaron Horbovetz – Project Engineer
 Randy Lusk– Regional Manager
 Owen Keenan- Project Engineer

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Fire hydrants need to be

 Properly installed
 Properly operated
 Properly tested regularly
 Properly maintained

Because Fire Protection is

ESSENTIAL

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Fire hydrants are also essential for

 Flushing water and air from a
new main connection or repair
 Getting water samples
 Checking system pressures
 Providing a temporary source of
water for construction sites and
other uses

Fire Hydrant Maintenance

 Fire hydrants must be operable and capable
of providing adequate fire protection
 Systematic maintenance and inspection is
vital
 Repairs can be scheduled pro-actively
instead of reactively
 Problems can be dealt with before they
become catastrophic

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Fire Hydrant Maintenance

 Hydrants should be inspected on a regular
basis, at least once a year, and for ISO
certification
 Dry-barrel hydrants may require two
inspections per year, spring and fall
 Every hydrant inspection should be
documented
 Problems with a hydrant should be reported
immediately

ISO Requirements

 In order for a municipality to get full credit

from ISO, they must do hydrant
maintenance every 6 months.

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Other ISO Requirements

 Location and number.
 Physical damage or defect.
 Obstructions on or around the hydrant.
 Hydrant outlets face proper direction.
 Minimum 15” clearance between lowest
outlet and ground.
 Auxiliary valve is visible.
 Condition of paint – correct color code.
 All outlets are cleaned and lubricated

Fire Hydrant Maintenance

 During a static pressure test, do any of

the nozzles, gaskets, or drainage holes
indicate leakage?
 With a nozzle-cap or pumper-cap
removed, and using a listening device,
does the main valve leak?
 Is there any “ponding” or standing water
near the base of the hydrant?

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Fire Hydrant Maintenance

 What is the condition of the paint?
 Is the color correct, based on the utilities color
scheme?
 Is the hydrant straight-up (plumb)? If not, does it
appear that hydrant has been hit by a vehicle?
 Should bollards be installed to protect the
hydrant?
 Should the hydrant be relocated away from
traffic?

Painted and Color Coded

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Fire Hydrant Maintenance

 Does the hydrant need to be raised, or

lowered?
 Do the pumper port and nozzles face the
correct direction?
 Is the soil surrounding the hydrant
capable of supporting it?
 GPS location of hydrant if required.

Fire Hydrant Maintenance

 Are the nozzle/pumper threads in working
condition?
 Do the nozzle/pumper ports require any
maintenance or need to be replaced?
 Does the hydrant drain properly (dry-barrel)?
 Is the hydrant barrel still dry after pumping out
the water and waiting a few minutes?
 Is it difficult to operate?

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Fire Hydrant Maintenance

 Does it provide adequate fire-flow?
 Is the operating nut of the hydrant in good
condition?
 Have the corners of the operating nut been
rounded off (from people using a pipe wrench
instead of a hydrant key)?
 If it appears that the hydrant has been
illegally operated, should protective devices
be installed to deter vandalism?

Maybe you know these kids?

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Kids hate this …

Other Reports and Documentation

 Status: Public, Private, or Non-Potable.
 Static pressure reading is taken.
 Operating stem is exercised and lubricated.
 Hydrant reflectors and markers are replaced
and/or repaired.
 All debris is removed from around the hydrant.

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Fire Hydrant Maintenance

 Remove one nozzle/pumper cap and,
using a listening device, check for main
valve leakage. Repair or schedule
replacement, as necessary.
 Open hydrant fully, checking for ease of
operation. Repeatedly exercise the
operating stem, as needed, to remove
buildup and promote better operation. If
lubrication or stem replacement is
required, schedule the necessary work

Fire Hydrant Maintenance

 With the hydrant fully pressurized, check for

leakage around the flanges,
nozzles/pumpers, seals, and operating nut.

 Partially close the hydrant to open the drain

outlets, and flush for 10 to15 seconds.

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Fire Hydrant Maintenance

 Completely close the hydrant, and then open it
a ¼ to ½ turn to relieve the pressure on the
thrust bearing or packing.
 Remove a nozzle/pumper cap, and attach a
diffuser, if needed, along with a hand valve for
control. Flush the hydrant to remove foreign
material.

Flushing a Hydrant
• Flush hydrant until clear

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Fire Hydrant Maintenance

 Close the hydrant and remove the diffuser.
Place your hand over the nozzle/pumper to
check for suction as the water drains out of the
barrel.
 Check for hydrant leakage with a listening
device.
 Remove all nozzle/pumper caps and inspect
the threads. Clean and apply approved
lubricant to caps and nozzles/pumpers.

Lubricating the Threads

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Fire Hydrant Maintenance

 Inspect cap chains for binding and ease of
movement. Unbind or replace, as necessary.
 Replace the caps and tighten them
 Check operating nut lubrication and maintain as
needed.
 Inspect breakaway flange for damage if present.
 Collect or verify GPS location of hydrant. (Very
helpful when locating a hydrant under a pile of
snow.)

Fire Hydrant Maintenance

 Notify the Utility personnel and Fire Dept.

personnel immediately of inoperable hydrants
needing repair or replacement. Get
stakeholder buy-in.

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Single Hydrant Testing

 NOT Recognized by AWWA as a valid test

NOT
NOT Recognized
Recognizedby by
AWWA
AWWA as aas
valid
a
 NOT Recognized by NFPA as a valid test
test
valid test
 NOT recognized by ISO as a valid test
NOT Recognized
NOT Recognized by by
NFPA as aas
NFPA valid test
a valid
 NOT
testrecognized by ISO as a valid test
 NOT recognized by ISO as a valid
test

Fire Flow Testing

NFPA Ratings
Color Flow Rating
Blue 1500 GPM + Very Good
Green 1000 - 1499 GPM Good
Orange 500 - 999 GPM Marginally Adequate
Red Below 500 Inadequate

 Involves a minimum of two hydrants on

any test.
 #1 Flow Hydrant #2 Residual Hydrant

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Fire Flow Testing

 Testing
Testing
You are testing main capacity
are testing main capacity
You ends
Dead
Dead ends
Looped Areas (2 or 3 feeds)
Looped Areas (2 or 3 feeds)
Distances
Distances
2.5 Diffuser or Hose Monster
2.5 Diffuser or Hose Monster

Preparation

Plan
Planyour
yourarea
area
Decide which
Decide which
hydrant
hydrantwill
willbebe
your
yourresidual
residual
hydrant
hydrantand
and which
will be your
which will flow
be your
hydrant
flow hydrant
Direction
Directionofofflow
flow

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Equipment Needed
 2.5” Static Caps  Hose Monster (4.5”)
2.5” Static Caps
 Gauges 
 Hose Monster
Landscape (4.5”)
Protection
GaugesWrenches 
 Landscape
Record Keeping
 Hydrant
Protection
Supplies
Hydrant(2.5”-4”)
 Diffusers Wrenches
 Record
 Keeping
Steel Brush
Diffusers
 Diffuser (2.5”-4”)
Pitot Tubes Supplies
 Thread Grease (Food
Diffuser
 Gate Valve Pitot Tubes
for Diffuser  Steel
Grade)Brush
 Gate Valve for  Thread Grease
Diffuser (Food Grade)

Care of Equipment

Inspect
Inspectequipment
daily
equipment daily
Test
Testthe
the gauges
gauges
daily
daily
Very
Veryexpensive,
expensive,
treat
treatititlike your
like your
own
own

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Steps for Residual Hydrant

 Remove all caps off of ports
Remove
Apply alltocaps
grease off of
threads of ports
nozzles
Apply grease
Replace pumperto threads of nozzles
port
Replace
Replace cappumper
not being port
utilized for test
Replace
Open capslightly
hydrant not being utilized
to vent air for test
Open
Once hydrant
vented, slightly
open hydrant toavent
littleair
more, purging
Once vented,
hydrant leg open hydrant a little more,
purging
 Shut hydrant
hydrant down leg
 Shut hydrant down

Steps for Residual Hydrant

 Install
Installpressure
pressure gauge
gauge
 “Charge”
“Charge” hydrant
hydrant –– open
open
fully
fully
Takestatic
 Take
 staticreading
reading(Pressure
during typical demands with
 Signal to partner
no hydrants you are
flowing)
 ready
Signalforto the flowyou
partner hydrant
are
toready for the flow hydrant to
be opened
be opened
 After “flow hydrant
After “flow
 opens”, hydrant
watch opens”,
gauge
watch gauge

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Steps for Residual Hydrant

 Take residual
 Take residual
reading(Pressure
reading(Pressure measured
measured while flow
while flow hydrant is open)
hydrant is open
 Recommended drops
 NFPA
 291- 25%
10% Rule
 AWWA-M17
 Shut hydrant –10psi
SLOWLY
 As long as good flow is
 Tell partner readings
obtained from flow hydrant,
(static and
less than residual)
10psi is good
 Accurate
 Remove gauges
equipment
are more
important
 Replace remaining
 Tell
cap partner readings (static
and residual)Replace
 remaining
Give partner
cap hydrant
data

Steps for Flow Hydrant

 Remove all caps off 

 Open gatevalve
Open gate valvefully
 Remove
of portsall caps off of  fully
Close “bleeder” valve
ports
 Replace pumper  Close “bleeder”
on diffuser to keep
 Replace
port pumper port valve on diffuser to
debris out of it
 Install
Installpressure
pressure
gauge keep
gaugegate valve onto
 Install  Open debris
hydrantout of it
slowly
 Install gate
remaining valve
nozzle 
 Open hydrant
Once water slowly
is clean,
onto remaining
 Install diffuser onto  Once water
close gate is clean,
valve
nozzle close
Recordgate
Datavalve
gate valve
 Install diffuser onto
 (Be
gate valve  Record Data (Be
consistent)
consistent)

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Steps for Flow Hydrant

 Once
 Oncedatadata
is gathered
is gathered
notify
notify partner
partner that
that youyou
are are
readyready
 Wait for partner to get
 Wait for partner to get
“static reading”
“static reading”
 Open gate valve
 Open gate valve SLOWLY
SLOWLY
 Take
 Take reading
reading

Steps for Flow Hydrant

 Close gate valve
 Close
SLOWLYgate valve
to shut
SLOWLY
hydranttodown
shut
hydrant down
 Relieve pressure
 Relieve pressure
 One flow hydrant
 One flow hydrant
is usually good is
usually
for 3-4 testsfor 2-3
good
tests
 Make sure
 Make suredrains
hydrant hydrant
drains
and seatsseats
and
properly
properly

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6”
#4 #5 #6
6”
#7
#3 6”

#2 #8 #9

6”

#1 #10

12”

Example of Flow Data

 Ps (Static) = 140 psi

 Ps (Static) = 140 psi
 Pr (residual) = 125 psi
 Pr (residual) = 125 psi
 Pp (Pitot pressure) = 120
 Pp (Pitot pressure) = 120
 Cd (coefficient) (.9)
 Cd (coefficient) (.9)
 D (diameter) (2.5)
 D (diameter) (2.5)

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Flow Hydrant Equation

 Qr=29.83*Cd*D2*Sqrt(P p)
 Qr=29.83*Cd*D2*Sqrt(Pp)
 Qr = Actual Flow (gpm)
 CdQr = Actual (found
= Coefficient Flow (gpm) Flow hydrant
on the diffuser)
 D Cd = Coefficient
= Diameter (opening(found on the diffuser)
in inches)
 PpD== Diameter
Pitot Pressure (opening in inches)
(from flow hydrant)
 Pp = Pitot Pressure (from flow hydrant)

 Qr = 29.83 x .9 x (2.5)2 x sq root of 120

 Qr = 29.83 x .9 x 6.25 x 10.95
 Qr = 1837 gpm

Fire Flow Equation

 Qf
Qf= =
QrQr
x {(Ps – 20)/(Ps
x {(Ps – Pr)}–(Raise
– 20)/(Ps to the .54
Pr)} (Raise to the
power)
.54 power)
 Qf
Qf= =Fire flow
Fire in gpm
flow at 20atpsi
in gpm 20 psi
 Qr = Actual flow in gpm from
Qr = Actual flow in gpm from previous equation
previous
 Psequation
= Static
 PrPs= = Static
Residual
 Pr = Residual

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Fire Flow Equation

 Qf = 1837 x {(140-20)/(140-125)}
(Raise to the .54 power)
 Qf = 1837 x {(140-20)/(140-125)} (Raise to
Qf .54
the = 1837 x (120/15) (Raise to the .54
power)
power)
 Qf = 1837 x (120/15) (Raise to the .54
Qf = 1837 x (8) (Raise to the .54
power)
power)
 Qf = 1837 x (8) (Raise to the .54 power)
 Qf = 1837 x 3.07375
 Qf = 1837 x 3.07375
 Qf = 5647 gpm flow at 20 psi

Safety while Flowing

Check areas
Check
Check areas
areas
Landscaping
Landscaping
IfIfLandscaping
damage
damage isis
 If damage
unavoidable –is
unavoidable
unavoidable– –
Relocate
Relocate
Relocate

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Safety while Flowing

Open
Openandandclose ALL
close
hydrants slowly
ALL hydrants
 Traffic
slowly
Children
Traffic
 Children

What’s this data used for ?

Other
 Otherthan
than
giving
givingyou
youaa
migraine….
migraine….

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 4/24/2015

What’s this Data used for ?

 Water System
Modeling
 Water System
Modeling
Water System
Hydraulics
 Water System
Hydraulics
Fighting Fires
Fighting Fires
New Construction
New
NFPAConstruction
Ratings

What’s this Data used for ?

 ISO (Insurance Services Office)

ISOlower
The (Insurance
the I.S.O.Services
rating onOffice)
a scale of 1 to
The
10, thelower
betterthe
theI.S.O. rating
insurance on a scale of
rates
1 to
 The 10, reviews
I.S.O. the better the primarily
3 areas insurance rates
The I.S.O.
The Fire reviews 3 areas primarily
Department
The
The Fire
City Department
water main &
The dispatch
9-1-1 City water main services.
& paging & hydrant capabilities
 9-1-1 dispatch & paging services.

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Why do we fire flow test ?

Fire-flow
Fire-flow testing
testing is aimed
is aimed not not
onlyonly
at
at “Best
“Best Management
Management Practices”,
Practices”, but to
but identify
help to helphydrant
identifyissues,
hydrant issues,
closed valve
closed
issues valve
(from mainissues (from
breaks main
service work
breaks service
shutdowns, etc.), work
and toshutdowns,
keep the flow
etc.), history
testing and to upkeep the flow testing
to date.
history up to date.

Fire Flow Recommendations

 ISO recommends fire flow testing every 5 years or
ISO whenever hydraulic conditions change. or
ISOrecommends
recommendsfire fireflow
flowtesting
testingevery
every55years
years or
 NFPA states that you must perform inspection,
whenever hydraulic conditions change.
whenever hydraulic conditions change.
NFPAmaintenance
states that andmust
you flushing annually
perform as well as fire
inspection,
NFPA
flowstates
testingthat you must
every 5 years perform inspection,
or whenever hydraulic
maintenance and
and flushing annually as wellasasfire
flushing annually as well
maintenance
conditions change. fireflow
flow
testing
testingevery
every55years
yearsororwhenever
wheneverhydraulic
hydraulicconditions
conditions
AWWA’s “Best Management Practices” believes that it
change.
change.
is a good
AWWA’s “Bestpractice
Management to conduct fire flow
Practices” testing it is a
believes
AWWA’s
whenever “Best Management
hydraulic Practices”
conditions believesthat
change. that it is a
good practice to conduct fire flow testing whenever
good practice to conduct fire flow testing whenever
We recommend
hydraulic
hydraulic conditionsthat
conditions change.you develop criteria that best
change.
We suits your Utilities’
recommend that youneeds, yet at least meets suits
AWWA,
WeISOrecommend
and NFPA that youdevelop
developcriteria
recommendations criteriathat
thatbest
best suits
your
yourUtilities’
Utilities’needs,
needs,yet yetatatleast
leastmeets
meetsAWWA,
AWWA,ISO ISOandand
NFPA recommendations
NFPA recommendations

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Additional Information
Detailed procedures for the installation,
operation, testing and maintenance of
fire hydrants can be found in the AWWA
M17 – ‘Installation, Field Testing, and
Maintenance of Fire Hydrants’

QUESTIONS?
Please contact
todd.schaefer@mesimpson.com

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